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4. The Soṇadaṇḍa Sutta The Brāhmaṇa Householders of Campā 300. Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One, while wandering through the Anga country with a great Saṅgha of bhikkhus, with five hundred bhikkhus, arrived at Campā. There, indeed, the Blessed One dwelt in Campā, on the bank of Gaggara’s lotus pond. Now at that time the brāhmaṇa Soṇadaṇḍa dwelt in Campā, a populous, grassy, wooded, and well-watered place, rich in grain, a royal fief, given by King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, a royal gift, a brahmadeyya. 301. The brāhmaṇa householders of Campā heard: “Indeed, good sirs, the ascetic Gotama, a Sakyan, gone forth from the Sakya clan, while wandering through the Anga country with a great Saṅgha of bhikkhus, with five hundred bhikkhus, has arrived at Campā, and is dwelling in Campā, on the bank of Gaggara’s lotus pond. And concerning that venerable Gotama, such a good report has spread: ‘Indeed, that Blessed One is Arahant, Perfectly Self-Awakened, endowed with knowledge and conduct, Fortunate, Knower of the world, unsurpassed leader of persons to be tamed, Teacher of devas and humans, the Awakened One, the Blessed One.’ He, having realized and directly known this world with its devas, its Māras, its Brahmās, this generation with its ascetics and brāhmaṇas, its devas and humans, proclaims it. He teaches the Dhamma beautiful in the beginning, beautiful in the middle, beautiful in the end, with meaning and with letter, he proclaims the utterly complete and purified holy life. It is good, indeed, to see such Arahants.” Then the brāhmaṇa householders of Campā, departing from Campā, in groups and companies, went to Gaggara’s lotus pond. 302. Now at that time the brāhmaṇa Soṇadaṇḍa was taking his midday rest in the upper palace. The brāhmaṇa Soṇadaṇḍa saw the brāhmaṇa householders of Campā, departing from Campā, in groups and companies, ...in groups, towards the Gaggarā lotus pond. Seeing this, he addressed the attendant: "What is this, good attendant? The householder brahmins of Campā, leaving Campā, in groups and companies, are going towards the Gaggarā lotus pond?" "Sir, there is the ascetic Gotama, a Sakyan, gone forth from the Sakyan clan, wandering in Aṅga, who has arrived in Campā with a great community of monks, with five hundred monks, and is dwelling in Campā, on the bank of the Gaggarā lotus pond. Concerning that venerable Gotama, this good report has spread: 'Indeed, that Blessed One is Arahant, Perfectly Self-Awakened, endowed with knowledge and conduct, Fortunate, Knower of the world, unsurpassed leader of persons to be tamed, teacher of gods and humans, the Awakened One, the Blessed One.' These people are going to see that venerable Gotama." "Then, good attendant, go to where the householder brahmins of Campā are, and having gone, tell the householder brahmins of Campā this: 'The brahmin Soṇadaṇḍa says this: Please wait, sirs, the brahmin Soṇadaṇḍa will also go to see the ascetic Gotama.'" "Yes, sir," the attendant replied to the brahmin Soṇadaṇḍa, and went to where the householder brahmins of Campā were; having gone, he told the householder brahmins of Campā this: "The brahmin Soṇadaṇḍa says this: 'Please wait, sirs, the brahmin Soṇadaṇḍa will also go to see the ascetic Gotama.'" Discourse on Soṇadaṇḍa's Qualities 303. Now at that time, five hundred brahmins from various countries were staying in Campā for some business. Those brahmins heard: "The brahmin Soṇadaṇḍa, it is said, will go to see the ascetic Gotama." Then those brahmins went to where the brahmin Soṇadaṇḍa was; having gone, they said to Soṇadaṇḍa... And they said to the brahmin: "Is it true, sir, that Sonadaṇḍa will go to see the ascetic Gotama?" "Indeed, sirs, it is so for me: 'I too will go to see the ascetic Gotama.'" "Sir Sonadaṇḍa, do not go to see the ascetic Gotama. It is not fitting for Sir Sonadaṇḍa to go to see the ascetic Gotama. If Sir Sonadaṇḍa goes to see the ascetic Gotama, Sir Sonadaṇḍa's fame will diminish, and the ascetic Gotama's fame will increase. That Sir Sonadaṇḍa's fame will diminish, and the ascetic Gotama's fame will increase, for this reason, it is not fitting for Sir Sonadaṇḍa to go to see the ascetic Gotama; rather, it is fitting for the ascetic Gotama to come to see Sir Sonadaṇḍa." "For Sir Sonadaṇḍa is well-born on both sides, from mother and from father, with pure lineage back through seven generations of ancestors, unblemished, unassailed in respect of birth. That Sir Sonadaṇḍa is well-born on both sides, from mother and from father, with pure lineage back through seven generations of ancestors, unblemished, unassailed in respect of birth, for this reason, it is not fitting for Sir Sonadaṇḍa to go to see the ascetic Gotama; rather, it is fitting for the ascetic Gotama to come to see Sir Sonadaṇḍa." "For Sir Sonadaṇḍa is rich, of great wealth, of great possessions... (and so on)..." "For Sir Sonadaṇḍa is a reciter, a mantra-holder, one who has mastered the three Vedas, with their vocabularies and ritual manuals, their phonology and etymology, and as the fifth, the histories, a master of grammar and exegesis, flawless in Lokāyata and the marks of a Great Man... (and so on)..." "For Sir Sonadaṇḍa is handsome, good to look at, pleasing, endowed with supreme beauty of complexion, of Brahma-like color, Brahma-like radiance, with no mean appearance to be seen... (and so on)..." "For Sir Sonadaṇḍa is virtuous, of mature virtue, of mature virtue..." …endowed with… Indeed, Master Soṇadaṇḍa has a beautiful voice, beautiful speech, endowed with the speech of a citizen, clear, unhesitating, able to convey the meaning… Indeed, Master Soṇadaṇḍa is a teacher and preceptor to many, he teaches the mantras to three hundred young men. Many young men come from various directions, various countries, to Master Soṇadaṇḍa, desiring mantras, wishing to learn the mantras… Indeed, Master Soṇadaṇḍa is old, aged, advanced in years, has reached the end of his life; the ascetic Gotama is young, and recently renounced… Indeed, Master Soṇadaṇḍa is honored, respected, esteemed, revered, and venerated by King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha… Indeed, Master Soṇadaṇḍa is honored, respected, esteemed, revered, and venerated by the brahmin Pokkharasāti… Indeed, Master Soṇadaṇḍa resides in Campā, prosperous, with grass, wood, and water, with grain, a royal domain, given by King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, a royal gift, a brahmin gift. Because Master Soṇadaṇḍa resides in Campā, prosperous, with grass, wood, and water, with grain, a royal domain, given by King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, a royal gift, a brahmin gift. For this reason, Master Soṇadaṇḍa should not go to see the ascetic Gotama; rather, the ascetic Gotama should go to see Master Soṇadaṇḍa. Discourse on the Qualities of the Buddha 304. When this was said, the brahmin Soṇadaṇḍa said to those brahmins: “Well then, sirs, listen to me too, why we ourselves should go to see that Master Gotama; and why that Master Gotama should not come to see us. Indeed, sirs, the ascetic Gotama is well-born on both sides, from his mother and from his father, with a pure lineage up to the seventh generation of ancestors, unreproached, unblemished in respect of birth. Because, sirs, the ascetic Gotama is well-born on both He is well-born, from his mother and his father, of pure lineage, up to the seventh generation of grandfathers, unreproached, unreviled on account of birth. By this defect, that venerable Gotama is not worthy to approach us for an audience; rather, we ourselves are worthy to approach that venerable Gotama for an audience. "Indeed, sirs, the recluse Gotama has gone forth, abandoning a great assembly of relatives… (and so on)… "Indeed, sirs, the recluse Gotama has gone forth, abandoning abundant gold and silver, both that on the ground and that in the air… (and so on)… "Indeed, sirs, the recluse Gotama, while still young, a youth, with jet-black hair, endowed with the blessing of youth, in the prime of life, has gone forth from home to homelessness… (and so on)… "Indeed, sirs, the recluse Gotama has gone forth from home to homelessness, having shaved off his hair and beard, donned saffron robes, while his parents, unwilling, with tearful faces, were weeping… (and so on)… "Indeed, sirs, the recluse Gotama is handsome, good to look at, charming, endowed with supreme beauty of complexion, of divine color, of divine radiance, not of mean appearance… (and so on)… "Indeed, sirs, the recluse Gotama is virtuous, of noble virtue, of wholesome virtue, endowed with wholesome virtue… (and so on)… "Indeed, sirs, the recluse Gotama has a pleasant voice, a pleasant utterance, endowed with a refined speech, clear, not stammering, capable of conveying the meaning… (and so on)… "Indeed, sirs, the recluse Gotama is the teacher and preceptor of many… (and so on)… "Indeed, sirs, the recluse Gotama has exhausted sensual lust, is free from agitation… (and so on)… "Indeed, sirs, the recluse Gotama is an advocate of action, an advocate of exertion, one who does not put evil first for the brahmin community… (and so on)… "Indeed, sirs, the recluse Gotama has gone forth from a high family, from an unmixed Khattiya family… (and so on)… "Indeed, sirs, the recluse Gotama has gone forth from a wealthy family, with great riches, with great possessions… (and so on)… "Indeed, sirs, people from other districts, from other countries, come to ask questions of the recluse Gotama… (and so on)… "Indeed, sirs, many thousands of deities… Horses have gone for refuge with their lives…pe… Indeed, friends, concerning the recluse Gotama, such a good report has arisen: 'Indeed, that Blessed One is an Arahant, a Fully Self-Awakened One, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, a Fortunate One, a Knower of the world, an unsurpassed leader of persons to be tamed, a teacher of gods and humans, the Awakened One, the Blessed One.' …pe… Indeed, friends, the recluse Gotama